POLITICIANS and health campaigners have made common calls for the need to see children’s emergency services returned to Southport.

Political opponents of local Liberal Democrat MP John Pugh reacted to the results of his health survey by stressing their commitment to reversing the 2003 closure of children’s A&E facilities at Southport Hospital.

A massive 86 per cent of residents who completed the survey agree that having a facility in the town to treat most child incidents is “badly needed and essential”.

Margaret Brown, co-chairwoman of the CARES campaign group and deputy chairwoman of the Southport Party, accused Dr Pugh of “going over old ground”.

CARES was set up to oppose the controversial hospital changes earlier this decade and expelled the town’s MP from its ranks amid much rancour in 2003.

“We want some services back for our children,” said Mrs Brown, who said these must include X-ray facilities.

“We accept that seriously ill-children will go straight to Alder Hey and that people closer to Ormskirk will go there.”

CARES is also calling for the return of a midwife-led unit to Southport.

Cath Regan, co-chairwoman of CARES and a prospective Tory council candidate for Birkdale, said she hoped a forthcoming child health summit to be arranged by Sefton Primary Care Trust would get results.

“This must be the final one and we must get something positive for our children from it,” said Mrs Regan.

Cllr Brenda Porter, prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for Southport, said: “While supporting Dr Pugh’s recent survey I am not surprised that what I was already aware of has come to the fore and should be acted upon with some speed.”

She said she had already advised PCT chiefs that “further consultation on the return of children’s services to Southport was not necessary”.

A statement by Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust said: “Some of the results are not surprising as we believe it would be difficult to find a town in England where the residents would not overwhelmingly be in favour of a dedicated children’s A&E on their doorsteps.

“However, we must reiterate again that the decision to move children’s services was taken by the Secretary for State for Health.

“We are pleased to note, that Sefton Primary Care Trust have now made a commitment to meet with local politicians and key stakeholders to discuss issues relating to the provision of services for children across north Sefton.”

Leigh Griffin, chief executive of Sefton PCT, said: “While the response rate is admittedly low, and while it would be surprising if people didn’t say they wanted as many services in Southport as possible when asked such a question, there is much that is of interest in the results and we look forward to discussing some of the more relevant findings with Dr Pugh.”

Both the PCT and Hospital Trust also pointed to a range of positive findings in the survey.

A hospital trust spokesman said: “It is interesting to note, that in fact almost three out of four of those who responded have never had to use the children’s A&E at Ormskirk

“And of those who have, 94 per cent said the treatment they received was satisfactory or better.”

What the key players have to say:

Leigh Griffin

SEFTON PCT's chief executive, Leigh Griffin, said: "We always welcome the views of local residents and we will give active consideration to the findings of this survey.

"While the response rate is admittedly low, and while it would be surprising if people didn’t say they wanted as many services in Southport as possible when asked such a question, there is much that is of interest in the results and we look forward to discussing some of the more relevant findings with Dr Pugh.

"For example, the survey found that in general most people are satisfied with their local health services and I would emphasis that we are already doing a great deal of work to improve access to dentistry, hospital services and GPs with some positive results.

"We have also made a commitment to meet with local politicians and key stakeholders in the near future to discuss issues relating to the provision of services for children across north Sefton."

Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust

SOUTHPORT & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust issued a statement saying: While it is interesting to read the responses to this very wide ranging survey, it has to be borne in mind that only 7.5% of those to whom the survey was sent responded.

"Some of the results are not surprising as we believe it would be difficult to find a town in England where the residents would not overwhelmingly be in favour of a dedicated children’s A&E on their doorsteps.

"However, we must reiterate again that the decision to move children’s services was taken by the Secretary for State for Health.

"We are pleased to note, that Sefton PCT have now made a commitment to meet with local politicians and key stakeholders to discuss issues relating to the provision of services for children across north Sefton.

"It is also interesting to note, that in fact almost three out of four of those who responded have never had to use the children’s A&E at Ormskirk. And of those who have, 94% said the treatment they received was satisfactory or better.

"It is also pleasing to see that this survey gives independent corroboration to the figures we publish about some other key services, such as the speed with which patients are seen within accident and emergency. Indeed the response that 99% of patients are seen within 4 hours is very slightly higher than we report.

"In a similar way, it is good to see that 87% were either very or fairly satisfied with the standard of nursing they received. Some 79% thought the hospital to be either very or fairly clean, and 84% said they were not aware of problems with MRSA or other hospital related infections. This again gives us some independent confirmation of our excellent record on cleanliness.

"Overall we are generally pleased with the responses about people’s experiences at our hospitals, but obviously we will look at how we can continue to improve."

Cllr Brenda Porter

BRENDA Porter, the Ainsdale ward councillor who will challenge Dr Pugh for Southport's parliamentary seat at the next general election, is a staunch campaigner for returning children's A&E facilities to Southport.

She said: "On my selection as Conservative Parliamentary Spokesperson for Southport at the beginning of October, when asked my future campaigning priorities I was able to highlight the return of our Children's Services because I was aware of the concerns and genuine fears of local residents on this issue.

"While supporting Dr Pugh's recent survey I am not surprised that what I was already aware of has come to the fore and should be acted upon with some speed.

"In early August of this year when meeting with Mr Paul Acres Chairman of Sefton PCT,and accompanied by Mrs Cath Regan and Mrs Margaret Brown, representatives of Cares,I advised him that further consultation on the issue of the return of children's services to Southport was not necessary as previous consultations,marches and huge petitions had

clearly indicated the wishes of Southport's residents.

"Again I urged that this information was acted upon, and this was supported by both Cares

representatives."

Cllr Porter said she had recently highlighted to the PCT that due to roadworks on the hospital route to Ormskirk, "delays and diversions were putting people's lives at risk and again due to the lack of a children's unit in

Southport these roadworks were of more importance than they would normally be because of this fact.

She said she "acknowledges that Mr Leigh Griffin, Chief Executive of Seftons PCT prompted by this issue that had been highlighted to him is now calling an early meeting to review the level of children's care,especially out of hospital, that is provided in the north of the borough."

Cllr Porter said she will also be meeting with both Mr Griffin and Jonathan Parry, Chief Executive of Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust to discuss other health-related issues affecting Southport residents.

John Pugh MP

JOHN Pugh MP released the following statement to the Visiter to unveil his health survey results.

"Generally as in previous surveys (This is the third done by the MP) people are more satisfied with their own treatment than with the NHS as a whole. "It's the issues that effect across the board - like car parking charges and the absence of children's A&E that annoy people the most.

"I have shared my results with the hospital and the PCT and hope to have a no holds barred discussion of what the evidence is showing.

"Full results are on my website www.johnpughmp.com.

On a children's A&E facility he said: "I am glad to see an emerging political consensus on the way forward in getting the Primary Care Trust to commission the services they have been talking about for years.

"The results my survey show so that the urge to have an A&E facility for Children back in Southport is as strong as ever and the Primary Care Trust need not waste any time on further research. It's all been done.

"Sadly however action seems to lag behind words and there is no date I have seen for the proposed summit between stakeholders and community leaders on the issue.

"No -one within the NHS seems to be championing this -with the hospital worried about losing work at Ormskirk and the PCT with only half an eye on the ball. There is no doubt too that position of Alder Hey in supporting children services in both Southport and Ormskirk is crucial.

"Trying to bring all parties together is a bit like knitting fog which makes it all the more important that we have unity within the town in our efforts to turn the Primary Care Trust's warm words into real wards- facilities we can take our children to."